united states senate can't do that? i can't imagine what the people in my district would think if they saw the inaction coming from the united states senate. but they see the results of it and it troubles them greatly. we have seen this song and dance before, and most of us now know how it's going to end. at some point, sooner rather than later, the house will be forced to consider a continuing resolution to prevent a government shutdown. the senate can prevent this by following the house and regular order, doing the people's work, making the hard decisions and advancing individual appropriations bills as we have done in the house. that's how government is supposed to work, and that's the only way we're going to be able to make serious reforms to spending programs. i've come to this body a number of times to offer amendments to pending bills that would have cut spending, and i'm going to keep pushing for these type of strategic spending reductions. but when the senate refuses to do its part, it makes this process imposs